Bird festival returns to Morro Bay starting Thursday
Festival includes guided walks, presentations, and workshops
– Birding enthusiasts will return to the Central Coast for the 29th Morro Bay Bird Festival, scheduled for Jan. 15 through Jan. 19 at the Morro Bay Community Center.
Bird-watching, also known as birding, has increased in popularity in recent years, and Morro Bay ranks among California’s winter birding destinations. The festival draws participants from across the United States and includes a smaller number of international attendees. More than 200 bird species are typically spotted during the five-day event.
The festival includes 264 events led by 138 expert leaders. Registered participants can take part in guided birding and nature walks, attend presentations by experienced birders, participate in workshops focused on bird identification, photography, and conservation, and observe birds aboard bay cruises. The schedule also includes a variety of social events and related activities.
Organizers expect approximately 1,000 registrants during the festival. During the event, 12 retail stores and 21 restaurants in Morro Bay and Los Osos will offer discounts to festival participants. A full list of participating businesses and discounts is available on the festival website.
Online registration will close at 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 13. In-person registration will begin at 3 p.m. on Jan. 14 at the Morro Bay Community Center.
In addition to events requiring registration, the festival will host a Community Family Day on Saturday, Jan. 17. The event will take place at the Morro Bay Community Center and the Morro Bay Veteran Memorial Hall and will operate on a first-come, first-served basis without registration.
Community Family Day activities will include nature journaling with local artists, owl pellet dissections, hands-on crafts, opportunities to see live animals, and visits to the Vendor Bazaar and Marketplace. Attendees can also participate in the “Passport to Knowledge” activity during the event.
Additional information about the festival is available at morrobaybirdfestival.org.
